Arsenal have confirmed the swap deal of Alexis Sanchez for the Armenian midfielder, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and are closing in on a transfer move for Borussia Dortmund striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Mkhitaryan, in his unveiling video very subtly gestured for his former teammate to join him at the Emirates and this has allowed every fan and media outlet to go into a frenzy.
Turn volume to max, you can hear the words “Yo Pierre, you wanna come out here?”
[?: @Blacazette] pic.twitter.com/bSLLBoHkkH
— Emirates HQ (@EmiratesHQ) January 22, 2018
The club looked like it was headed towards the deep end of a very dark hole if Sanchez left right after Theo Walcott and Francis Coquelin in the middle of a struggling season, but things have taken a sweeter trajectory. Aubameyang’s arrival will only put the cherry on the top for what can be deemed to be a win in a losing situation.
An absolutely stunning display against Crystal Palace last weekend saw the Gunners triumph with 4 goals in the opening 22 minutes of the game. Arsene Wenger opted to play his men in the four back formation and the team looked more like their usual self. After a season of almost failing with the back three and one of the worst away records in the top 6 of the Premier League, it is baffling to see the manager time and again choose to field his men in the 3-4-3 formation.
Arsenal’s ability to rotate the midfield with a free-flowing positioning and backdoor runs to instigate attacks with a quick flick or a cheeky backheel has been their winning formula for the past decade. But sacrificing all that to adjust to the current climate or ‘trend’ of the elite sides has been a tough pill to swallow.
The real problem is the defence, which holds the worst record among the top 6 clubs. Wenger can address the problem and still inflict pain on the opponents in the 4-3-3 formation.
Defence
Petr Cech is the first choice in between the sticks and the leader of the side. He demands perfection from the backline and Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi are the best options to start in front him. Hector Bellerin on the right-back role and Sead Kolasinac on the left.
Midfield
Jack Wilshere and Henrikh Mkhitaryan can take up the attacking midfield role in front of Mohamed Elneny. The Egyptian can hold the anchor position really well, better than Granit Xhaka on some occasions.
Attack
Sanchez’s departure will subtract the ridiculous bout of pace and creativity from the left wing, but Aubameyang will bring around a different dynamic. His pace will make a huge impact from the wide areas and will give him the opportunity to pair up with Alexandre Lacazette up top.
Mesut Ozil can finally rest easy with the arrival of Mkhitaryan and can take up a more attacking role from the right.
